KALAMAZOO -- The lead detective in the case against Carrie Wickham was found in contempt of court Tuesday for breaking the judge's witness sequestration order.

At the request of the assistant prosecuting attorney trying the case, Portage police Detective James Myers last week spoke to convicted drug dealer Joseph Wheeler about his plea agreement, which calls for him to truthfully testify against Wickham. Wheeler pleaded guilty to the same charge Wickham faces in connection with the death of Amy Bousfield, 18, and was sentenced to one year in jail and probation.

Amy Bousfield

Wickham, 18, of Portage, is on trial on a charge of delivery of a controlled substance causing the June 27, 2008, death of her friend, Bousfield, after the two snorted heroin.

As a result of the contempt finding, Kalamazoo County Circuit Judge Alexander C. Lipsey ruled Tuesday that the defense will be allowed to ask Myers about the encounter with Wheeler when he testifies. The judge could have precluded Myers from testifying at all, or he could have declared a mistrial.

At the beginning of the trial last week, Lipsey ruled that witnesses must remain outside of the courtroom until they testify and are not allowed to interact with one another.

Myers testified that Kalamazoo County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kathleen Lawton gave him a copy of Wheeler's pre-sentence report to go over "just so he understood ... he received less ... (jail time) because of his deal." Also, Myers said he had a copy of his police report, which contained information about Wheeler.

The two met in a room in the holding cell in the courthouse for "a minute or less" and went over the reports, Myers testified.

"It wasn't that I was trying to make any points. I was perusing the report and reading it aloud," he said.

Given the judge's sequestration order, it might have been better for someone else to have talked to Wheeler, both Myers and Lawton testified.

The issue of the sequestration order was raised Tuesday outside the presence of the jurors, who were sent home early.

Earlier in the day, Portage police Detective Matthew Wolfe testified that he believed Wickham opened herself up to the charge against her as soon as she handed heroin to Bousfield "in the car on the way to Amy Bousfield's house."

Prosecutors contend that Wickham is responsible for Bousfield's death because she is the one who handed Wheeler the money for the drug and he handed Wickham the heroin.

"I learned through the investigation that she (Wickham) wasn't a for-profit drug dealer," Wolfe testified.

Bousfield had a history of using illegal drugs, according to testimony from her mother. Others interviewed by Wolfe told him they knew that Bousfield had previously used heroin, he testified.

One person "told me Amy had used heroin before, and the time she OD'd was her fourth time using," Wolfe testified.